Research sheds new light on brain tumours

17 March 2010

The BRT recently funded an electron microscope used by Professor Sebastian Brandner for research into brain tumours. His recent research indicates that stem cells in the brain can turn to brain cancer.

Normally, adult brain stem cells form more mature cells such as nerve cells (neurones), astrocytes (supporting cells) or oligodendrocytes (myelin forming cells that wrap around processes of neurones). This research has shown that different mutations in the stem cells turn them into different types of brain cancer.

Professor Sebastian Brandner works in collaboration with Dr Thomas Jacques at UCL's Institute of Child Health and scientists at University of California San Francisco, USA. He commented:

“This finding is absolutely novel in the field of brain cancer research. It opens new doors to the understanding of the origin of brain tumours and what influences their behaviour. We now understand better how these tumours form and we can investigate further what leads from a rogue stem cell to a brain tumour. This model will give us new opportunities to develop strategies to fight brain cancer.”

Studies are underway to translate this finding into a treatment for human brain cancers.